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mttst4r

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 9, 2022
1
1
Hi. I have a 2016 MacBook Pro 15". And the bottom display has this dark spots. Any one encounter this? I understand from Apple the 13" also has this problem and apple will repair the 13" but not for 15" (???).
IMG_7585.jpg
 

appltech

macrumors 6502a
Apr 23, 2020
688
167
And your Mac was working without overheating, yes? (can be wrong, but I've heard that there can be caused by heat)
 

PBG4 Dude

macrumors 601
Jul 6, 2007
4,364
4,645
I believe that’s a result of the “flexgate” issue. There’s a monitor cable that runs through the hinge which gets degraded over time. Apparently, a judge decided to sink a lawsuit seeking recompense for fixing this issue.

 

Christopher Kim

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2016
768
741
Yes, unfortunately this is the classic symptom of Flexgate, commonly referred to as the "Spotlight issue". I got it on my 2016 13" MBP and it was a free fix because of the Service Program.

Unfortunately, they don't have the service program for the 15". I seem to recall a few stories of forum members successfully getting Apple to fix it for free, but involved a lot of luck, persistence, and the right demeanor (eg. being kind, and hoping to get the Apple Genius to be on your side and want to help you out).
 

flashvenomdesign

macrumors newbie
May 23, 2022
1
0
Yes, unfortunately this is the classic symptom of Flexgate, commonly referred to as the "Spotlight issue". I got it on my 2016 13" MBP and it was a free fix because of the Service Program.

Unfortunately, they don't have the service program for the 15". I seem to recall a few stories of forum members successfully getting Apple to fix it for free, but involved a lot of luck, persistence, and the right demeanor (eg. being kind, and hoping to get the Apple Genius to be on your side and want to help you out).
Unfortunately, after Louis Rossman made a video saying that "Apple will definately fix your flexgate MBP 15", you just have to be a squeaky wheel", I haven't heard of a single case of Apple fixing this issue. I tried for weeks to escalate my case until I got someone (I won't mention names) who said he was the highest level manager I could talk to. I said "you must work for someone, what's his name or phone number?" to which he said "That would be a privacy issue." to which I said "Ok, can you please give him my number and have him call me?" - He then said in so many words that I was out of luck, and that even if Jobs raised from the dead and approved the repair, there was nothing he was willing to do.

I am so done with Apple, unfortunately. The simple fact that they will repair the 13" but not the 15" is the single most immoral and unethical thing a company has ever done to me.

I plan on using a mom/pop/ebay repair shop to fix this issue, and once this laptop bites the dust, it will be the last Apple product I will ever own... Which is sad because I proudly display a Newton, an SE30 and a picture of me as a kid at Macworld in my office.
 
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